Good relationships take time

Good relationships take time. They don’t happen by accident. They take cultivation, work, and time to build a deep connection with somebody. That requires commitment.

Proverbs tells us, “A friend loves at all times.” That means even when it’s inconvenient, when you don’t feel like it, even when they don’t deserve it, even at personal cost. That’s what real friendship is all about.

Friends are in your corner when you’re cornered. And they see you through when everybody else thinks you’re through. They walk in when everybody else walks out.

You don’t need many friends to make it in this world but you do need a few good ones. Focus on quality not quantity. You can have many acquaintances but that means nothing. The acquaintances are not going to be there in the crisis. They’re not going to be there when you need them. Friends will. And every important close connection begins with a commitment.

At every stage of your life you’re going to need these kinds of relationships. You’re going to need a group of people for different reasons in different ways. You need to get connected. You need people in your life. You say, “I don’t need them now.” You’re going to need them someday. You need to give and you need to receive.

c/o Rick Warren